Battle of Brandy Station.

JUNE 8, 1863.

THE FAMOUS CAVALRY ENGAGEMENT.

BLADE TO BLADE, STEEL TOUCHES STEEL.

WM. F. MOYER, Sergeant Company D, 1st P. V. C., Logansville, Penn.

UNE 7, 1863, was spent in the bustle of preparation, haversacks were stored, cartridge-boxes filled, horses shod, the sick sent back, and preparations for active campaigning gone through with. Then commenced irksome and wearying de

lays.

Evening came and night passed, and reveille awoke us to another day's expectancy; but at noon, the bugle at division head

quarters sounded the "general." Tents were struck, saddles packed, and the regiments massed in close column. After a delay of an hour or two more for our trains to get on the road we heard the "advance" sounded. Slowly pursuing our way through heat and clouds of dust, raised by the march of a division of cavalry over parched and arid fields, we as length reached the vicinity of the Rappahannock river, and at 9 P. M. bivouacked about a mile from Kelley's Ford. The unusual precaution taken to prevent unnecessary noise betokened that we were in the neighborhood of the enemy and might expect an encounter. We were roused from our slumber at three o'clock the next morning, and before we had finished breakfast, we heard the thunder of Buford's cannon at Beverly Ford. He had already commenced crossing his division. The alarm brought us to the saddle, and soon we were drawn up on the river bank around Kelley's Ford awaiting our turn to cross.

In half an hour we had passed the river and were pressing forward into the interior, Duffie's 3d Brigade having the advance. After proceeding some miles we turned off in the direction of Stevensburg, while Wyndham's command moved rapidly towards Brandy Station, with orders to find the enemy and at once engage him. These were just the orders for gallant men and dashing brigade commanders. Moving at a brisk trot, -the 1st N. J. Cavalry in front, the 1st Penn. next, and Martin's battery and the 1st Md. Cavalry bringing up the rear,—in less than an hour we had reached the vicinity of the station and were engaged with the enemy's skirmishers.

Hurrying our columns from the wood through which the road had led the last two miles, Colonel Wyndham formed his brigade in columns of regiment in the open field east of the station, and, leading the 1st N. J. in person, ordered the line to charge. Our sudden appearance on the flank and rear of the enemy, took him by surprise, and for some minutes the hills. and plains beyond the railroad swarmed with galloping squadrons of Johnny Rebs hurrying to a new position to meet our attack. The 1st Md., with Companies A and B of the 1st Penn. Cavalry moved down on the station. Colonel Wyndham led the 1st N. J. against a battery on the heights beyond the railroad, and the balance of the 1st Penn. directed its operations against the Barbour house-a large mansion on a high knoll just beyond the railroad and about half a mile north of the station.

The field presented a scene of grand and thrilling interest. A whole brigade of cavalry, in column of regiments, was moving steadily forward to the attack on our side, while the enemy's cavalry in new formation stood in glittering lines awaiting the assault, and his artillery, stationed on every hill, with rapid flash and continuous roar belched forth a concentrated fire on our advancing columns. Still, with undaunted firmness, the brigade moved forward-first at a walk, then quickening their pace to a trot; and then, as the space between the battle fronts rapidly shortened, the gallop was taken, and when scarce fifty paces intervened, the order to charge rang along our front. In an instant a thousand glittering sabers. flashed in the sunlight, and from a thousand brave and confident spirits arose a shout of defiance which, caught up by rank after rank, formed one vast, strong, full-volumed battle-cry, and

every trooper rising in his stirrups leaned forward to meet the shock, and dashed headlong upon the foe. First came the dead, heavy crash of the meeting columns, and next the clash of saber, the rattle of pistol and carbine, mingled with frenzied imprecations; wild shrieks that followed the death blow; the demand to surrender and the appeal for mercy-forming the horrid din of battle. For a few brief moments the enemy stood and bravely fought, and hand to hand, face to face, raged the contest; but, quailing at length before the resistless force of our attack and shrinking from the savage gleam and murderous stroke of our swift descending sabers, they at length broke and fled in confusion. We followed, and soon the whole plain for a mile in extent was covered with flying columns engaged in a general mêlée. This continued until the enemy came up with re-enforcements, when we withdrew and reformed.

When the 1st Penn. Cavalry emerged from the woods at the opening of the action, it was formed about half a mile from the railroad and immediataly on the left and supporting our battery. Scarcely half the regiment had gotten into position when the enemy opened at point-blank range from the Barbour house, hurling shot and shell into our ranks with great rapidity. We moved forward to storm the position, and capture the battery. As we marched toward the smoking cannon, they saluted us with spherical case, then hurled grape and canister into our faces, but our line moved on, and would have taken the guns had it not been for an intervening ditch, which enabled the battery to move off before the regiment could cross. Once beyond the ditch, we formed ourselves at the foot or base of the heights under a heavy fire from the buildings surrounding the mansion, and half of the regiment, led by Colonel Taylor, of 1st Penn. Cavalry, moved on the house from the front, while the other half, with Lieutenant-Colonel Gardner at its head, swung around on its left and rear. Both wings dashing impetuously forward, cleared the enemy from the intervening space, and held possession of the ground. Here occurred an incident which illustrates how utterly Southern chivalry detested the rough arguments of cold steel when wielded by Northern mechanics. Just as we were raising the hill on our charge, a bold and audacious rebel rode forward from their ranks and called out: "Put up your sabers! put up your sabers! Draw your pistols, and fight like gentlemen;" but the mechan

ics, farmers, and laborers of Pennsylvania placed too great confidence in their tried blades and the iron nerves of their right arms to accept his advice, and soon these kid-gloved gentry shrank from the weight of their sturdy strokes.

Here we met the flower of Stuart's cavalry, composed of his own body-guard and White's celebrated battalion, and, though unaware at the time, we had stormed and carried his headquarters. This we learned from his adjutant-general, who was taken prisoner.

BRAGG IN KENTUCKY.

INCIDENTS OF HIS MARCH THROUGH THE STATE.

By E. B. RANDOLPH.

T was the latter part of the summer of 1862 that General Bragg concentrated his army at and near Chattanooga, Tenn., preparatory to his march into Kentucky. Shiloh had been fought, and the death of Sidney Johnston had caused the Confederates to fail of achieving a complete victory. The army of Bragg was the old Shiloh-Johnston army, recruited to a condition of splendid efficiency. Never were soldiers more enthusiastic, more thoroughly disciplined, or more eager for the fight. Cheerfulness and a magnificent "esprit du corps" pervaded the entire army. The Tennessee river was crossed, the lofty heights of "Waldron's Ridge" were ascended and descent made into the fertile valley of Sequatchie. On we marched, every one confident of in due time seeing the Ohio river and reveling in the delights of Louisville. The military bands struck up "Blue Bonnets over the Border" as we passed the Kentucky line. We were met along the march by citizens who sympathized with our cause. Many expressed the belief that the Federals would be unable to interpose any obstacle in Bragg's way, lead where it might. The army shared the same confident feeling.

The writer was one of a party that had to remain several days in the town of Glasgow, Ky., after the army had passed. While there the rumor came that a force of Federal cavalry were nearing the town. All was hurry and confusion. Wagons were hastened off to the town of Munfordville, a dozen or more miles distant, where the army was. A major quartermaster, being the ranking officer present, got together all the men; brought out two small cannon, mounted on rickety wheels, more resembling buggy wheels than any other kind, hitched two horses to each and started out of the town on the